Protective and label-retaining cap for the tap fitting of a beer barrel or the like



Nov. 25, 1958 E. R. sou. 2,361,709

PROTECTIVE AND LABEL-RETAINING CAP FOR THE TAP FITTING OF A BEER BARRELOR THE! LIKE Filed June 7, 1955 INVEN TOR. 52/0525 7' Z Gal. 1.

Arraelvsvf United States Patent PROTECTIVE AND LABEL-RETAINING CAP FORTHE TAP FITTING OF A BEER BARREL OR THE LIKE Ernest R. Goll, Milwaukee,Wis., assiguor to Braun-Goll Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation ofWisconsm Application June 7, 1955, Serial No. 513,689

4 Claims. (Cl. 220-24) This invention relates to a protective andlabel-retaining cap for the tap fitting of a beer barrel or the like.

The cap is desirably made of plastic or elastomeric materialsufficiently flexible and sufiiciently yieldable to be molded with a ribdisposed internally of the lower margin of its skirt portion forengagement with the flange of the cap fitting. An overhanging flange atthe top of the cap engages the inner margin of a label about an aperturetherein through which the skirt portion of the cap is received.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top perspective view of a cap embodying the presentinvention.

Fig. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the cap.

Fig. 3 is a plan view fragmentarily illustrating the top of a barrel towhich a label and the cap of the present invention have been applied.

Fig. 4 is a view taken in cross section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

The barrel shown is of generally conventional design having a topportion 5 provided with a tap bushing 6 welded thereto. The tap bushing6 has a recess 7 from the center of which there arises an annular stud 8having projecting flanges at 9 and 10 with arcuate outer margins. Thecentral opening 11 receives a cork or plug 12 which must be withdrawnwhen the barrel is tapped. The tap rod forms no part of the presentinvention. It is introduced through the opening 11 and has flanges whichengage flanges 9 and 10 to lock the rod in place during use.

In accordance with the present invention, a label 15 bearing the brewersadvertising is made in such dimensions that it spans the recess 7 andhas a central opening at 16 slightly larger in diameter than thecombined extent of flanges 9 and 10. The cap 20 is desirably molded inone piece of a flexible and elastic plastic or elastomeric material toprovide the cap top 21 and a depending skirt 22 beyond which a flangeportion 23 of the top projects to engage the margin of the label aboutthe opening 16 therein. The skirt is received through opening 16 asclearly shown in the drawings.

On the under side of the top wall 21 of the cap, I desirably providesome relatively deep ribs extended over such top wall as shown at 24.These rest on the top of the stud 8 and the flanges 9 and 10 thereof andthey project over the notches between such flanges to provide ductsthrough which air can circulate over the top of the stud to dry up anyliquid which may have spilled thereon. The central portion of the topwall is desirably raised somewhat at 25 to accommodate any reasonableextent to which the plug or cork 12 may project above the stud.

integral with the skirt 22 adjacent its lower margin is a series ofcircumferentially spaced inwardly projecting 2,861,709 'Paten ted Nov.25, 1958 2 1 protuberancesv 27 .which engage beneath ,the flanges .9 and10 of the stud to hold the cap in place. A continuous annular rib maytake the place of protuberances 27. The elasticity of the plastic issutficiently great to permit the molded cap to be withdrawn from itscore without destruction of the'core and to permit the skirt portion ofthe cap to spring over the flanges 9 and 10 of the stud and toresiliently engage beneath the margins thereof as the cap is applied.

The cap will materially protect the stud and the crevice about the plugor cork from dirt and, together with the label 15, it will cover theentire recess 7 to exclude dirt therefrom. Yet suflicient circulation ofair over the sur face of the stud is accommodated between the rib 24 sothat any liquid is dried up.

An incidental feature of the invention consists in its capacity to holdsecurely in place on the barrel a label apertured to receive the skirtportion 22 of the cap, whereby the label need not be cemented orotherwise adhered to the .barrel and is readily moved in one piecetherefrom when the cap is withdrawn.

While any elastomeric material may be used, including elasticallyyieldable plastic, it is also possible for some purposes to employrelatively inelastic plastic such as nylon. The particular materialspreferred are polyethelene or butyrate acetate. Other elastic plasticsare polyvinyl or vinyl or high impact styrene. Another material usableunder some circumstances is the product known as Teflon which comprisestetrafluorethylene. An example of a non-plastic elastomere is thesynthetic rubber known as neoprene.

I claim:

1. In combination, a container tap bushing having an annular top surfaceand an inwardly offset portion providing a recess and having an annulartap stud disposed centrally in the recess and having a flangeoverhanging the recess, an annular label overlying the top surface andhaving a central aperture slightly larger in diameter than the overalldimension of said flange, a plug removably closing the tap stud, and acap of elastic material having a depending skirt passing through theaperture of the label and about the flange of the tap stud in protectiverelation to the plug, said skirt having means engaged with the top studflange to retain the cap, said cap further being provided with anannular flange overhanging marginal portions of the label about theaperture therein for anchoring the label to said annular surface.

2. The device of claim 1 in which said cap has a raised central portionclearing said plug and is provided in annular series about said raisedcentral portion with inwardly projecting generally radial ribs affordingducts for air circulation beneath said cap.

3. The device of claim 1 in which said means comprises an annular seriesof protuberances. extending about the interior of the skirt at a pointspaced below said top surface.

4. In combination, a container having a tap bushing having an inwardlyoffset portion providing a recess and having a tap stud disposedcentrally in the recess, a label overlying the bushing and having aninner peripheral portion projecting over the recess and a centralaperture registering with said stud, a cap of elastic material having aportion extending through said aperture to close said aperture andincluding a skirt elastically embracing the stud and further having aportion overhanging marginal portions of the label about its aperturefor anchoring the label'to the bushing.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS Reamy Mar. 1 3, 1934 '4 Hayes Dec. 4, 1934Arvintz Oct. 19, 1937 Boxley Dec. 8, 1942 Detzel Oct. 30, 1951 RiekeDec. 1, 1953 Jordan Dec. 25, 1956

